Sunday, November 22, 2015

Mika Brattain wins BCC Championship, 2015



NM Mika Brattain is the BCC Champion for 2015.

NM Mika Brattain   photo:  Tony Cortizas, Jr.


In 2014 Mika was co-champion with FM Chris Chase.  This is his first sole possession of this honor.

5-time BCC Champion NM Charles Riordan finished a close second with 7 points, thanks to a defeat at the hands of NM Carissa Yip in a game delayed until she returned from the World Youth Class Championships in Halkidiki, Greece, where she won Silver for the US.

(See the cross-table and list of BCC champions below.)

Congratulations Mika!

 
NM Mika Brattain   photo:  Tony Cortizas, Jr




SwissSys Wall Chart. Club Championship: Championship

#Name/Rtng/IDRd 1Rd 2Rd 3Rd 4Rd 5Rd 6Rd 7Rd 8Rd 9
1Yip, Carissa ShiweB 9W 8B 7W 6B 5W 4B 3W 2W 10

2199 14514636 0.00.50.51.01.01.52.53.54.5
2Riordan, CharlesB 8W 7B 6W 5B 4W 3W 10B 1W 9

2342 12611870 1.02.03.03.04.05.06.06.07.0
3Times, LawyerB 7W 6B 5W 4W 10B 2W 1B 9W 8

2303 12167330 1.01.51.51.51.51.51.52.03.0
4Khater, Sherif AB 6W 5W 10B 3W 2B 1W 9B 8W 7

2215 12748218 0.00.51.52.52.53.03.54.55.0
5Brattain, Mika AndW 10B 4W 3B 2W 1B 9W 8B 7W 6

2435 13052087 1.0 1.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5 7.0 8.0
6Godin, Eric JW 4B 3W 2B 1W 9B 8W 7B 10B 5

2200 10030927 1.01.51.52.03.04.04.54.54.5
7Vernon, Bryant CW 3B 2W 1B 9W 8B 10B 6W 5B 4

1958 12537474 0.00.01.01.01.52.53.03.54.0
8Pedersen, Soren SaW 2B 1W 9B 10B 7W 6B 5W 4B 3

2036 15421306 0.00.51.01.01.51.51.51.51.5
9Hoy, AndrewW 1B 10B 8W 7B 6W 5B 4W 3B 2

2211 12846607 1.01.01.52.52.52.53.03.53.5
10Sage, J TimothyB 5W 9B 4W 8B 3W 7B 2W 6B 1

2196 10146712 0.01.01.02.03.03.03.04.04.0





year    BCC champion

2015    NM Mika Brattain
2014    FM Chris Chase, NM Mika Brattain
2013    NM Charles Riordan
2012    NM Lawyer Times
2011    FM Chris Chase, NM Charles Riordan
2010    FM Chris Chase
2009    FM Chris Chase
2008    IM David Vigorito, NM Charles Riordan, FM Chris Chase
2007    IM David Vigorito
2006    NM Charles Riordan, FM Chris Chase
2005    NM Charles Riordan
2004    FM Paul MacIntyre
2003    FM Paul MacIntyre
2002    IM William Paschall
2001    FM Paul MacIntyre
2000    FM Paul MacIntyre
1999    LM Alex Cherniack
1998    FM Chris Chase
1997    SM Jacob Rasin
1996    NM Geoffrey Gelman
1995    SM Jacob Rasin, LM Alex Cherniack
1994    FM Chris Chase
1993    SM Jacob Rasin
1992    SM Jacob Rasin
1991    SM Jacob Rasin, NM Maurice Broomes
1990    SM Jacob Rasin, FM Chris Chase
1989    SM Arturo Anguiano
1988    NM Rich Gutman
1987    FM William Kelleher, NM Alex Cherniack
1986    NM Rich Gutman
1985    GM Patrick Wolff / NM John Stopa
1984    FM William Kelleher, NM John Stopa,
1983    FM William Kelleher
1982    FM Sandeep Joshi
1981    FM William Kelleher
1980    FM William Kelleher
1979    FM William Kelleher, NM Joe Fang, NM John Frankle
1978    NM John Frankle
1977    NM Marc Lonoff
1976    NM Larry Tapper
1975    IM Bill Robertie
1974   
1973   
1972    NM Daniel Harrington
1971    NM Harry Lyman
1970   
1969   
1968   
1967   
1966   
1965   
1964   
1963   
1962   
1961   
1960   
1959   
1958   
1957   
1956   
1955   
1954   
1953   
1952   
1951   
1950   
1949   
1948    Harlow Daly
1947    Harlow Daly
1946   
1945   
1944   
1943   
1942   
1941   
1940   
1939   
1938   
1937   
1936   
1935   
1934   
1933   
1932   
1931   
1930   
1929   
1928   
1927   
1926   
1925   
1924   
1923   
1922   
1921    G. H. Friberg
1920   
1919    H. G. Daniel   1st bcc champion






Editors note:  if anyone can fill in the gaps in this record of BCC champions, please help us.

Turkey Action Swiss


Turkey Action Swiss



Ancient Statue on the Mount Nemrut, Turkey




Saturday, Nov 28, 2015
40 Norris St, Cambridge, MA, 02140 (map)
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7SS, G/30 d5. 
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One section. 
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Entry fee: 
$35, $20 for BCF members. 
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Prizes: $300 based on 25 paid entries: 
$150-$100, U1800 $50. 
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Registration: 
9:15am 9:45am. 
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Rounds: 
10:00am, 11:20am, 1:00pm, 2:20pm, 3:45pm, 5:00pm, 6:20pm.
  
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A 2,134 m (7,001 ft) high mountain is famous for the giant head statues scattered on the summit. Built by King Antiochus I in 62 BC it is thought to be a sanctuary and a royal tomb.

Ancient Statue on the Mount Nemrut, Turkey




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Oh, you meant that turkey?

 Yep, that turkey too.
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Sunday, November 15, 2015

Greg Hager Memorial

Greg Hager Memorial


 



Saturday, Nov 21, 2015  
40 Norris St, Cambridge, MA, 02140 (map)  
4SS, G/60 d10.  Sections: Open & U1950. Entry fee: $35, $20 for BCF members. No free entry coupons.  Prizes: $240 based on 20 paid entries:  Open $100-$60,  U1800 $50-$30.  Registration: 9:15am 9:45am.  Rounds: 10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm.  Maximum two (1/2 point) byes allowed. Last round bye must be declared before start of round 2. 
  

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Chess Notes: Dondis and Chase on Carissa Yip

 Read Harold and Chris in their Globe column 

Harold Dondis photo: Steve Stepak

FM Chris Chas  photo: Robert Oresick
     















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on NM Carissa Yip in Greece:

NM Carissa Yip  photo: Diana Matisone











The World Youth Championships are ongoing with Carissa Yip a major challenger in the Girls under-12 section. In her early games, she effortlessly dispatched one opponent after another. All was fine until she met the section’s highest-rated player, Bulgarian Nurgyul Salimova, in the seventh round. ...

continue to read more and see a game analyzed. 


Also read the story about Carissa in ChessMaine. 




Sunday, November 08, 2015

Team Tournament

Team Tournament

Saturday, Nov 14, 2015

40 Norris St, Cambridge, MA, 02140 (map)

4SS, G/60 d10. 
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Section: Open. 
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Entry fee: $100 per team of four. 
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Team event for 4-person teams having an average rating below 1900. 
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Players without teams will be assigned teams at the door. 
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Prizes based on entries. 
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Registration: 9:15am 9:45am. 
Rounds: 10:00am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:00pm 
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Maximum two (1/2 point) byes allowed. Last round bye must be declared before start of round 2.



Photos from
 http://debri.ru/interesting/973-zhivye-shaxmaty-v-petrograde.html

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

Steve Stepak v Garry Kasparov, Nov 1, 2015 :: draw !!

FORMER WORLD CHESS CHAMPION
AND GREATEST CHESS PLAYER OF ALL TIMES
GARRY KASPROV 
VISITS
HARVARD SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE
NOVEMBER 1, 2015
World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov faces (IM) Vivek Rao,
8 Board Master Clock Simul, Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall,
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Autumn, 1989. Photo: Stepak
Arguably one of the greatest chess players that ever lived
and the most prolific chess author,
Garry Kasparov has presented his
magnum opus
Garry has also written books
about life and chess:
Now, Garry switches from the
64 squares to the vast arena
of global politics with
Well, being a New Englander
and having spent last winter
in deep freeze, 
I had to buy the book
if only for the title.
Garry shows that in life
as in chess, timing is everything!
Bravo, Garry!
Garry also spoke on public radio
station WGBH, Monday, 
November 2, 2015, demonstrating
in convincing fashion that he
is as organized in his verbal
skills as he is with the
chess pieces,
demonstrating that chess players
have a social value beyond
the royal game.
The last time I saw Garry
was his lecture at
1st Parish Church, Harvard Square
in 2007 promoting his book
How Life Imitates Chess (2007).
Photo:ABon
Steve Stepak :: Garry Kasparov 2007
Lecture/Book Signing
1st Parish Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA
8 years later . . . . the beard is longer
Photo:Sergio
 and the protagonist, at 52 looks terrific!
Garry and I are reminiscing about his
Master Clock Simul of 1989.
WGM Anna Akhsharumova, black vs 
GM Garry Kasparov, Cambridge, 1989.
Photo: Steve Stepak
Of the 7 humans who Garry played including
IM Vivek Rao, NM Issa Youssef, professor of math
NM Dr. Noam Elkies, NM Doug Meyers,
NM Bill Robertie, 2x World Backgammon,
Champion, NM Andrew Serotta,  &
 (Sargon 4 Computer), Anna,
evidently stuck in his mind. She is the
wife of GM Boris Gulko and former
USSR Women's Champion and former
USA Women's Champion.
NICE HAT
Garry delivers the commencement speech:
May 2015: St Louis (Missouri) University,
home of the US Chess Center.
Garry was awarded a doctor of law degree.
Garry, 11 in Vilnius 1974
 Garry now makes his home
in New York City.
Hope to see you again,
back in Cambridge, MA
soon!  Be well and happy!! 
And remember:
Spring is Coming! 
Steve Stepak, Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA Photo:DragonGirl


November Quads

November Quads

 

Portrait of Chess Players by Marcel Duchamp


Saturday, Nov 7, 2015




40 Norris Street Cambridge, MA 02140 (map)

3RR. G/65 d5. 
Entry fee: $35; $20 for BCF members. 
Prizes: $50 First place in each quad. 
Registration: 9:15am - 9:45am. 
Rounds: 10:00am, 1:00pm and 3:30pm. 
No byes allowed.




Study for "Portrait of Chess Players" (Étude pour une partie d'échecs)


Portrait of Chess Players by Marcel Duchamp

“I have come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.” 

...

Marcel Duchamp playing chess

The Portrait of Chess Players shows several figures (we counted four) facing the center, their arms merged on lower portion of the canvas. The chess pieces float in the undetermined space, and the whole painting serves as the board.
A competitive, award-winning player, Marcel Duchamp incorporated the game into his art throughout his career. In this 1911 painting Duchamp painted each head by successively layering and overlapping various angular panes. Studies done in advance of the oil on canvas illustrate how Duchamp planned the composition using a Renaissance technique called the vanishing point where parallel  lines merge from the outer margins of the artwork towards a single point, usually slightly off center of the pictorial plane. ...